3 Ways to Send Files from Mac to Android Phone.

Not everyone with a Mac owns an iPhone too, no matter Apple’s best efforts to the effect. The other most common mobile operating system in the world is Android by Google. No matter your phone’s brand, if it is a recent purchase, it is most likely running a version of the Android operating system. Even BlackBerry devices started coming with Android. So, if you do not own an iPhone, how to send files from Mac to Android phone?

• Send Files from Mac to Android Via Bluetooth
• Send Files from Mac to Android Using USB
• Send Files From Mac To Android Using Wi-Fi: ShareIt
• Comparison Table

Send Files from Mac to Android Via Bluetooth

macOS has been known to be a user-friendly operating system. It contains a utility called Bluetooth File Exchange that makes transferring files from the Mac to an android phone as simple as it could be.

Enabling Bluetooth On the Mac And Android Phone

To use Bluetooth File Exchange, Bluetooth must be enabled on both your Mac and your Android phone.

On the Mac

Step 1: Open System Preferences from the Dock

Step 2: Click Bluetooth

Step 3: Click Turn Bluetooth on if it is off

Step 4: Check Show Bluetooth in the menu bar option.

On Android

You may be able to switch Bluetooth on using the drop-down menu on your Android device and tapping the Bluetooth icon. If not, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Head over to applications on your Android phone

Step 2: Go to the Settings app

Step 3: Tap Connected Devices

Step 4: Tap Connection Preferences

Step 5: Tap Bluetooth

Step 6: Switch it on if it is off.

Launching Bluetooth File Exchange

There are two ways to access and launch this utility.

From Finder

Step 1: Open a new Finder window

Step 2: Select Applications from the sidebar

Step 3: Scroll down to find Utilities folder

Step 4: In the folder, you will find Bluetooth File Exchange

Step 5: Double-click the icon to launch the app.

From Launchpad

Launchpad is an iOS-style springboard introduced and bundled with macOS since 10.7 Lion, and chances are you are aware of it and have used it at some point. By default, it is the second icon on the Dock to the right of Finder.

Step 1: Click Launchpad icon from the Dock

Step 2: If you are on the first page with all Apple apps, look for Other folder

Step 3: If you are not on the first page, swipe right on your MacBook trackpad or mouse to get to the first page of icons

Step 4: Inside the Other folder, find the Bluetooth File Exchange app

Step 5: Single-click the icon to launch the app.

Pairing Your Mac with Your Android Phone

It is advisable to pair your android device with the Mac beforehand for a seamless file transfer experience.

Step 1: Click the Bluetooth icon in the top right of the macOS menu bar

Step 2: Click Open Bluetooth preferences

Step 3: You will see a familiar window you had previously visited to enable Bluetooth

Step 4: On your Android phone, using the steps that you used to enable Bluetooth, reach the Bluetooth page

Step 5: Tap Pair new device

Step 6: Note the Device name your Android suggests. Tap it and rename it if you wish.

Step 7: The Bluetooth window on your Mac will now show your device name

Step 8: Click the Connect button to the right of your Android device name

Step 9: You will see PIN code on the Mac and the same PIN code on your Android

Step 10: If the PIN is not already entered, enter it, and accept the pairing request.

Using Bluetooth File Exchange To Send Files From Mac To Android Phone

Step 1: Launch Bluetooth File Exchange using either of the methods described above

Step 2: The first thing you need to do when the app starts is select which files you want to send

Step 3: Once you are done, click Next

Step 4: You will see your paired Android device listed here

Step 5: Select your Android device click Send

Step 6: Accept the incoming request on Android and you’re done.

An advantage of pairing is that next time you want to send a file from your Mac to your Android device, just click on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar, hover over your device name, and click Send the file to the device. This will open Bluetooth File Exchange and you can repeat the process of sending files without the need to pair your device again.

Send Files from Mac to Android Using USB

If you are more comfortable transferring files using a plain old USB cable, you might find that the Mac and Android do not play along well. But there is a third-party solution that makes transferring files from Mac to Android a piece of cake! The only utility you will ever need to send files from your Mac to Android, and to manage your Android phone without pulling your hair out is Dr.Fone - Phone Manager (Android). Using Dr.Fone, you can transfer music, videos, photos, and even app APK files from Mac to Android in a hassle-free way.

Prerequisites For Using Dr.Fone Phone Manager For Android On Mac

To use Dr.Fone Phone Manager for Android on the mac, you need to enable USB debugging on your Android device. Dr.Fone recognizes your device brand and provides clear steps to enable USB debugging when you connect your Android to the Mac and launch Dr.Fone for the first time.

Step 1: Open Settings on your Android phone

Step 2: Open About Phone

Step 3: Scroll down to the end where Build Number is mentioned

Step 4: Start tapping this build number

Step 5: After a few times, your phone will tell you that Developer Mode is now available

Step 6: Go back to Settings

Step 7: Go into System

Step 8: If you don’t see Developer here, look for Advanced and see there

Step 9: In the Developer menu, find USB debugging and enable it.

How To Use Dr.Fone - Phone Manager for Android

Using and navigating this software is easy as the software is thoughtfully designed. When you plug your Android phone to the Mac and start the app, this is how it looks. The interface is clean and it is immediately clear what you can do with it.

Transfer Files

You can go to Music, Photos, or Videos and transfer media from your Mac to the Android device from here.

Step 1: Connect your Android phone to the Mac

Step 2: At the welcome screen, select what you want to do from the tabs at the top

Step 3: Click the Add icon and select the files you want to transfer from Mac to Android

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Install or Uninstall Android App APKs

Dr.Fone - Phone Manager for Android allows you to install Android apps on your phone from the Mac, uninstall apps from the Android phone using your Mac, and even export app APK files to your Mac.

Advanced Folder Management and Other Things

Dr.Fone - Phone Manager for Android not only solves the problem of how to send files from Mac to Android, but it also solves the problem of how to manage files and folders on Android from a Mac.

Step 1: Connect your Android phone to the Mac

Step 2: At the welcome screen, select Explorer from the tabs

Step 3: On the left-hand side, click SD card and browse the folders you want

Step 4: You can add and delete files and folders and create new folders.

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Send Files From Mac To Android Using Wi-Fi: ShareIt

It does not feel like it when you want to transfer an odd file infrequently, but if you are a regular who needs to transfer files from Mac to Android over Bluetooth a lot, you’d know that it is slow. ShareIt is a third-party app that promises fast file transfers from Mac to Android - really fast - up to 200 times faster than Bluetooth.

ShareIt supports all sorts of file transfers, be it music, videos, photos, or apps, and other files. An integrated video player is supporting all formats that you can use to stream in HD. To make things interesting, you can download stickers, wallpapers, and GIF and customize. ShareIt is available on all platforms - iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.

How to Use ShareIt To Send Files from Mac to Android Over Wi-Fi

Step 1: Download the app on your Mac and also on your Android device

Step 2: Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on both Mac and Android and both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network

Step 3: Launch the app on your Mac and on your Android device

Step 4: Press the send button on the device you want to send from, in this case, Mac to Android, so press Send on the Mac app

Step 5: Select the files you want to send to Android from Mac, and press Send

Step 6: On the receiving device, in this case, your Android device, press Receive

Step 7: The app will scan and show avatars of nearby devices, click on yours and you’re done.

Comparison Table

Parameters	Over Bluetooth	Over USB (Dr.Fone)	Over Wi-Fi (ShareIt)
Speed	Low	Medium	High
File Types Supported	All file types	All file types	All file types
Cost	Free	Paid	Paid
Utility Type	Comes with macOS	Third-party	Third-party
Ease of Use	High	High	High
Technical Expertise Required	Low	Low	Low
User Experience	Great	Great	Good

Conclusion

Contrary to popular perception, Mac and Android do play along well when it comes to exchanging files between those devices. You can use the built-in Bluetooth File Exchange tool if you want to transfer some files randomly, or you can use more powerful, more sophisticated, advanced tools such as Dr.Fone - Phone Manager for Android or ShareIt. The best of the lot is Dr.Fone - a no-nonsense software that remains true to its purpose and looks beautiful. ShareIt, on the other hand, can look intimidating at first, considering that it tries to be more than just a file-sharing tool - it shows videos of a variety of genres and also news. If you want a no-fuss advanced file transfer tool that takes care of everything, while being fast enough, go with Dr.Fone - Phone Manager for Android. If you want the absolute fastest file transfers and don’t mind a little troubleshooting to get things set up correctly - go with ShareIt.